Bead clip retainer for can closure

ABSTRACT

A retainer clip of specified &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;C&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;-shape attached to or formed as an integral part of the ring portion of the ring-and-tearstrip opening device commonly used on beverage cans, for the purpose of affixing the ring-and-tear-strip closure to the outer portion of the can rim bead, after removal from the can, thereby conveniently disposing of said closure.

United States Patent Bly [451 Mar. 28, 1972 [54] BEAD CLIP RETAINER FOR CAN [56] References Cited CLOSURE UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 lnv'enwfl Berbert Arthur Bly, BOX 57; South 2,259,770 10/1941 Nove ..22o/ss CH Plainfield, NJ. 08902 2,808,175 10/1957 Aiken ..220/85 CH [22] Filed: Primary Examiner-George T. Hall 211 App]. No.: 65,141

[57] ABSTRACT A retainer clip of specified C"-shape attached to or formed 52 us. Cl ..220/54, 220/85 CH as an imam pm 0mm ring portion ofthc fing and tear wip [51] Int. Cl ..B6$d 17/24 opening device commonly used on beverage cans f the pub [58] Field of Search ..220/54, 27, 85 CH, 24 pose of affixing-the ring-and-tear-strip closure to the outer portion of the can rim bead, afler removal from the can, thereby ccnveniently disposing of said closure.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BEAD CLIP RETAINER FOR CAN CLOSURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to new alternate forms of the for Can Closure, described in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 867,555, filed Oct. 20, 1969, and the Spring Clip Retainer for Can Closure described in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 40,582, filed May 26, 1970.

The preferred form of the present invention is formed as an integral part of the ring portion of the ring-and-tear-strip easyopening closures commonly used on metal beverage cans, for the purpose of affixing the ring-and-tear-strip to the outer portion of the rim head of the can, thereby conveniently disposing of the ring-and-tear-strip after removal from the can. The retainer clip is formed in the approximate shape of the letter C, substantially conforming to the cross sectional contour of the outer portion of the can rim bead, with the minimum distance between the open ends less than the maximum distance from the extreme upper surface of the can bead to the extreme lower surface, as measured between two imaginary parallel planes contacting these respective surfaces, and with the maximum distance from the inside surface of the C shaped clip to a line drawn between the open ends at their point of minimum clearance, measured perpendicular to that line, greater than the maximum distance from a line drawn between the extreme upper and extreme lower points on the can rim bead (the sectional points of contact of the aforementioned parallel planes) to any point on the outer periphery of the can rim bead, measured perpendicular to that line. The open end of the clip to project as far as possible inward beyond the extreme low point on the can rim bead, thus gripping the bead and retaining the clip and can closure thereon, due to the slight elasticity of the clip material allowing it to open and reclose as the clip ends pass over the maximum dimension of the bead.

In its preferred form, the clip is formed as an integral part of the ring portion of the ring-and-tear-strip opening device, by deforming or drawing, by means of a die, a portion of the ring, which may be of enlarged cross section to provide more material at the area of deformation. In an alternate form, the clip is separately formed of metal or plastic and attached to the ring by means of adhesive or fusion welding.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a can showing the ring-andtear-strip easy opening device removed and affixed to the rim of the can by means of the bead clip retainer.

FIG. 2 is a view of the underside (the side facing the can top before removal) of the ring-and-tear-strip opening device, after removal from the can, showing the preferred form of the bead clip retainer.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of the preferred form of the bead clip retainer portion of the ring, taken at Section 3-3 as indicated on FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, simplified, fragmentary sectional view of the can rim bead.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of the can rim bead and the bead clip retainer, affixed thereto, showing the points of contact and depicting the principle of retention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a newly developed alternate form of the Retainer for Can Closure, described in U.S. Pat. application Ser. N. 867,555, filed Oct. 20, 1969, and the Spring Clip Retainer for Can Closure, described in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 40,582, filed May 26, 1970. The object of the present invention, as in the previously referenced inventions, is to provide a convenient, safe and esthetically satisfactory means of disposing of the removed ring-and-tear-strip opening device commonly used on beverage cans, by affixing said ring-and-tear-strip to the top bead of the can, as shown in FIG. 1, in an inconspicuous location against, and conforming to the cylindrical side surface of the can, and as high as possible on the side of the can, to minimize exposure of sharp edges and to avoid interference with the normal use of the can.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it is important to note that the lowest point on the outer surface of the bead 1, is normally displaced from the cylindrical outer surface of the can 8 by a distance at least equal to, and usually greater than, one thickness of the can top metal. Therefore, it is possible to form a wedge-shaped or tapered projection on a C"-shaped clip 2, FIG. 3, such that the point of contact with the can rim bead is inside the lowest point on the bead, thus tending to retain the lower projection of the clip on the bead. The upper projection of the "-shaped clip 5, FIG. 3, may be formed to project over the highest point on the top of the can bead 6, FIG. 4. The C-shaped clip so formed has a slight elasticity and when pressed over the rim can bead until the inner surface of the clip contacts the outer surface of the bead at point 7, FIG. 5; projections of the clip deform elastically, returning to their original shape after passing over the point of maximum dimension of the bead, and securely retaining the clip on the bead as shown in FIG. 5.

It is essential that the minimum distance between the open ends of the clip 2 to 5, FIG. 3, be less than the maximum distance from the extreme upper surface of the can bead 6, FIG. 4, to the extreme lower surface 1, FIG. 4, as measured between two imaginary parallel planes contacting these respective surfaces. To provide sufficient clearance to allow the open ends of the clip to pass over the points of maximum dimension of the bead, it is also necessary that the maximum distance from the inside surface of the -shaped clip 9, FIG. 3, to a line drawn between the open ends 2 and 5, FIG. 3, at their point of minimum clearance, measured perpendicular to that line, be greater than the maximum distance from a line drawn between the extreme upper and extreme lower points on the can rim bead 1 and 6, FIG. 4, (the sectional points of contact of the aforementioned parallel planes) to any point on the outer periphery of the can rim bead measured perpendicular to that line.

It is of great importance that the clip be located on the ring portion of the ring-and-tear-strip so as to facilitate affixing the clip to the can rim with the normally curved tear-strip as close against the can side as possible, and conforming to its cylindrical contour, and as high, and therefore away from, the normal position of the users hand as possible.

To meet this requirement the clip must be located on the side of the ring in such a position that the longitudinal axis 4 4, FIG. 2, is substantially parallel to the plane of the can top surface. While the clip is shown in its preferred position on the periphery of the ring in FIGS. 1 and 2, an acceptable alternate location is diametrically opposite the indicated position. In this location, the longitudinal axis of the ring-and-tear-strip would again be substantially parallel to the plane of the can top surface after affixing the ring to the can bead. In both cases, the open end of the clip must be located on the upper side of the ring so that after afiixing to the can bead the normal curvature of the tear strip will conform to the cylindrical side of the can.

In its preferred form, the clip is formed as an integral part of the ring portion of the ring-and-tear-strip opening device by deforming, pressing, or drawing, by means of a die or series of dies, a portion of the ring, which may be of enlarged cross section to provide more material at the area of deformation. In an alternate form the clip may be separately formed of metal or plastic and attached to the ring by means of adhesive or fusion welding.

I claim:

1. A retainer clip made of metal, plastic, or other semielastic material, formed as an integral part of, or attached to the ring used in conjunction with ring-and-tear-stn'p easy opening devices commonly used on cans containing beverages and other liquids, formed in the approximate shape of the letter C, with the minimum distance between the open ends of the clip less than the maximum distance from the extreme upper surface of the can bead to the extreme lower surface, as

measured between two imaginary parallel planes contacting these respective surfaces, and with the maximum distance from the inside surface of the C-shaped clip to a line drawn between the open ends of the clip at their points of minimum clearance, measured perpendicular to that line, greater than the maximum distance from a line drawn between the extreme upper and extreme lower points on the can rim bead (the sectional points of contact of the aforementioned parallel planes) to any point on the outer periphery of the can rim bead, measured perpendicular to that line, for the purpose of attaching the ring-and-tearstrip closure to the can rim bead after removal from the can.

2. The retainer clip of claim 1, with the lower projection of the clip, gripping the lower portion of the can bead, tapered or wedge-shaped, so that, viewed in cross section, its point of contact with the surface of the head is located between the extreme lowest point on the bead and the point of intersection of the surface of the bead and the cylindrical outer surface of the can.

3. The retainer clip of claim 2, so located on the periphery of the ring that the longitudinal axis or centerline of the ringand-tear-strip, after affixing to the can head, is substantially parallel to the plane of the can top surface.

4. The retainer clip of claim 3, located on that side or face of the ring which is uppermost before removal from the can, so that the normal curvature of the tear strip after removal from the can and after affixing the ring-and-tear-strip to the. can bead, will conform substantially to the cylindrical surface of the can.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO. 3,651,980 Dated March 28, 1972 lnventofls) Herbert Arthur Bly It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [72] in the address for the inventor, "South Plainfield" should read North Brunswick Column 1, lines 4 and 5, "alternate forms ofthe for'Can Closure" should read alternate forms of the Retainer for Can Closure Signed and sealed this 7th day of November 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK- Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 U.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 O-366-334, 

1. A retainer clip made of metal, plastic, or other semi-elastic material, formed as an integral part of, or attached to the ring used in conjunction with ring-and-tear-strip easy opening devices commonly used on cans containing beverages and other liquids, formed in the approximate shape of the letter ''''C,'''' with the minimum distance between the open ends of the clip less than the maximum distance from the extreme upper surface of the can bead to the extreme lower surface, as measured between two imaginary parallel planes contacting these respective surfaces, and with the maximum distance from the inside surface of the ''''C''''-shaped clip to a line drawn between the open ends of the clip at their points of minimum clearance, measured perpendicular to that line, greater than the maximum distance from a line drawn between the extreme upper and extreme lower points on the can rim bead (the sectional points of contact of the aforementioned parallel planes) to any point on the outer periphery of the can rim bead, measured perpendicular to that line, for the purpose of attaching the ring-and-tear-strip closure to the can rim bead after removal from the can.
 2. The retainer clip of claim 1, with the lower projection of the clip, gripping the lower portion of the can bead, tapered or wedge-shaped, so that, viewed in cross section, its point of contact with the surface of the bead is located between the extreme lowest point on the bead and the point of intersection of the surface of the bead and the cylindrical outer surface of the can.
 3. The retainer clip of claim 2, so located on the periphery of the ring that the longitudinal axis or centerline of the ring-and-tear-strip, after affixing to the can bead, is substantially parallel to the plane of the can top surface.
 4. The retainer clip of claim 3, located on that side or face of the ring which is uppermost before removal from the can, so that the normal curvature of the tear strip after removal from the can and after affixing the ring-and-tear-strip to the can bead, will conform substantially to the cylindrical surface of the can. 